Rose Winters
by katharinerebecca
Summary: Not a full story. Just some scenes, playing with an OC being dumped into Middle-Earth. Boromir is alive! And Arwen is unsure. Rated for language.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, Middle-Earth, etc. It is the property of Tolkien, et. al. The man was a genius, and should be revered as such. I'm just playing in his world. _

* * *

Rose's eyes shot open and looked around the room wildly. She was on a bed. Tall ceilings. Gothic-inspired architecture, it would seem. Large windows. There were other beds across from hers. Two doors to her left, one partially open - not enough to see to the room beyond, however. Then she - slowly, as she wasn't sure quite what had happened yet - turned her head to the right to the elderly man sitting by her bedside.

"Hello." Rose croaked out, capturing the man's attention. He smiled.

"Hello." Silence passed between them for another moment before she tried to speak again.

"May I ask where I am?"

"You may."

A few moments passed.

"Would you answer me truthfully?"

"I might."

She smiled ruefully. Not even awake five minutes and she was already making friends, she mused. His smile opened up more before he adjusted his position and reached for a glass of water on the table beside him. He held it to her lips, catching any drops that fell out as she drank. She sighed contentedly and sat up a little, taking her time. He nodded appreciatively.

"Always the wisdom of a woman." She chuckled a little before looking at her wrapped hands. Her smile faded as she clenched her fists experimentally. No real pain; just a dull ache. She supposed that was an improvement, considering she didn't know her original condition. She only knew the fire; the hobbits... Strider... the Nazgul... she looked back up at the old Wizard.

"I suppose you might tell me what happened?" It wasn't a question, but a request. He obliged.

"You had a great part in protecting the others when the Nazgul came. You were very brave, though greatly injured in the process. You and Frodo were brought here. The others followed as swiftly as they could, arriving about a week after you."

"So how long have I been... asleep?" She asked, cursing her lack of ability with the common language. How could she have a complete conversation at one moment, yet not know a simple word like unconscious the next?

"Three weeks." She sighed.

"Am I right in suggesting that this might be Rivendell? That you might be Gandalf the Grey? I thought I had seen your face before, in Bree. I took care of your horse." He nodded, pleased.

"You were the stable hand? I suppose it was not hard for you to pass as a boy; your hair at least allows it." Mimicking his nod, she looked towards the door as it opened. She gasped as a group of beautiful - there was no other way to describe them - people came into the room.

The first elf that entered the room was surely Lord Elrond - _Peredhel_, as Strider had called him, which he said meant Half-Elven. When Rose had pressed for the story, Strider simply said that there were a few books on the subject, and that when they arrived in Rivendell she should read them.

Elrond was tall, as all Elves were, according to Strider, and broad shouldered. His long, dark hair was much longer than Rose's own, whose had only just reached her neck after seven months of being in Middle-Earth. He smiled at her kindly, his grey eyes sparkling as if he knew her thoughts. Rose did not discount this, and looked at the other members of the group. There were three that looked much like Elrond, and she mused that they must be relations, for they were all with dark hair like he, and their eyes were much the same. The two males were twins, and beautiful creatures, but the female was absolutely breathtaking. Rose wondered if she was not Luthien, though Strider had said that Luthien was no more.

The last two could not have been more different than night and day. They were both tall, and held warrior's stances, but that was where their similarities ended. One had blond hair, luminous as the sun, with bright, passionate blue eyes. The other's hair was velvety-black as night, with dark eyes, intelligent and probing, always alert. The light was most assuredly a warrior, Rose mused, turning her attention back to Elrond, but the other was more defensive than offensive, more like a mother bear than a lion. Elrond looked amused at her observations, and took her hand in his. They were large, with long fingers. _Healing hands_, she mused.

"I am glad you have come back to us, my child. We were afraid that we had lost you to the darkness."

"No, my Lord, it is I who should be grateful. I am in your debt entirely, sir."

"Regardless of who is thanking who," Gandalf interrupted, "we must decide what fate befalls our young charge here. In order to do that, we need some information from you, my dear." the old wizard smiled at her. She looked at him, confused.

"I can not think of information that might help you, sir, as I am honestly not sure that it helps me."

"Perhaps you may start with your name and where you hail from, milady." One of the twins mentioned. Elrond shot him a look, and he looked away, quieted. Elrond turned back to Rose.

"As Elladan has so kindly suggested, perhaps that is where we should start." he said gently. Rose smiled, amused at the elder relation's rebuke of the younger.

"I am - was - called Rose in my homeland. When I came to Bree, I was able to pass as a stable hand. I was called Galeson, because the night I arrived was the night of a most severe storm.

"As for where I am from, it is farther than even the Elves could go, and I...can not return." her face fell as she voiced this realization for the first time. The others looked in the room looked confused. All except for Gandalf and Lord Elrond.

"Do you mean you are from the East? We have been as far as the Sea of Rhun..." the other twin said. Rose shook her head.

"As I said, it is beyond the reach of anyone of this land. But since I can not go back, I must try to find my place in this world. Though it saddens my heart to say so, my Lord, for what I have seen of your domain is beautiful," she turned back to Elrond, "I will release you of my burden as soon as I am able."

"Where shall you go, child?" the dark intellectual questioned, drawing looks from his companions. Rose stared at her hands, playing with the covers over her legs.

"I know not, my Lord."

"If my Lord Elrond permits it, I must ask that you remain here, child."

"Erestor..." the blond Elf turned to his companion, looking at him with some intensity. No, more than companion, realized Rose with awe. A relationship like that was obviously not unheard of where she was from; several of her friends had lovers of the same sex, but here... she wondered how open their society allowed them to be.

Elrond looked hard at the one called Erestor for a few long moments. Erestor gave him the same stare, refusing to back down from his lord. The others simply looked between the two, unsure of what would happen. Then Elrond smiled as if satisfied with what he found, and nodded.

"These are indeed difficult times that we live in, Rose," the Lord of Rivendell started, "so perhaps Erestor is prudent in requesting that your prescence remain, especially in light of your situation."

Rose simply stared. It was all she could do, as she tried to process what was happening.

"You shall not be a burden, child," the Elf continued, "for we shall make your time here helpful to all parties involved. Though you are a little over the age for fostering, we can make you a part of the household, as the Lady Arwen's maiden. You can and shall be taught how to live among Elves and Men of this land."

Rose blinked a few times, slowly. She was going to be a part of his household? He barely knew her. How could he trust her so?

Refusing to bend to her thoughts, he continued. "My companions shall be your tutors, teachers, mentors, and guides. It would seem that Erestor, my head of household, and Elladan, one of my sons, have already made themselves especially known." Each nodded to her in turn. Elrond then gestured to the blond elf, who nodded and smiled reassuringly at her.

"Glorfindel, one of my chief counsellors." He then turned to the last two of his party.

"Elrohir," he gestured to the other twin who had also spoken during the interview," my other son, and the Lady Arwen, my daughter." The she-elf smiled kindly at Rose, who was immediately put at ease. _Perhaps being her maiden shall not be so bad_, she thought. "My foster-son, Estel, is out at the moment, but he shall return ere long, and you shall know him. These will be your council. Should you require it, they will be here, as you will be here for them. Is this acceptable for you, child?" Rose could only nod into those all-seeing eyes. Elrond turned at last to Gandalf. "Mithrandir, my friend, I believe we have much to discuss. Shall we?" The old grey wizard, who looked thoroughly amused throughout the exchange, nodded and rose from his vigil.

"Sleep now, Rose. You have heard much in as little time." he said, placing a soothing hand on her forehead before sweeping out the door with the elves. Erestor spared her one last lingering look before closing the door behind him. Rose fell back against her pillows with a 'whoosh' of air escaping her lungs. It would seem that she now had a place in this world. For now, at any rate. She also wondered at the interest that Erestor had taken in her. What could it mean?_ I have much still to learn about this world, _she mused as she closed her eyes, and let sleep envelope her.

* * *

"You must forgive me, my lord. I understand that for an Elf, Man's wisdom must seem short-sighted, at best, but it is what we are taught, for we do not have the unending time or patience that you have been blessed with." Erestor gave a small smile and turned away a little. Rose frowned slightly as comprehension overwhelmed her, and confused her.

"You do not see your immortality as a blessing." She stated, slowly, trying to convince herself of it. Erestor suddenly turned to her and held her face in his hands. He looked deeply into her eyes, looking for something that she was not sure of, and kissed her brow.

"Your short time here is a gift, my dear. We are forced to see friends pass, the lands change, the very foundations of this land grow ever older with us. I can not help but think that sailing into the Undying Lands was our gift from the Valar." Rose blinked, trying to wrap her head around this new feeling. She understood Elves a little now, especially the elder ones.

"Because Men have such a short time, you appreciate what you have more, I believe. We preserve what we can, but when you grow old enough for history to repeat itself, it wearies the bones." He smiled at her, one that she returned with fondness. She took her hands in his, hoping he would not think her bold.

"My lord, it is good that you and your kin are still here, if only for a short while longer. Men have much to learn from you, and it is sad that not many appreciate it. I could only hope to glean a small part of your wisdom in my entire lifetime, however long I may be blessed to walk here."

Erestor laughed, and took her arm in his as they walked back towards the Healing House.

"If but Glorfindel were here to hear that sentiment; he might find it very humorous indeed. He does not consider anyone as wise as himself, and should find it amazing that I might be considered so. However, I thank you for the compliment, child. For one so young, you are very experienced in the ways of the world. You are a treasure to any race." Rose blushed at being praised from so high a being.

* * *

"My Lady-Arwen," the she-elf looked up at the mention of her name, "I may not be as old as you, but I do have some experience in this matter. If I may?" Arwen nodded, the look in her eyes almost pleading Rose to help her.

"Aragorn is a good man - a great man - but that is what he is. A man. I know your father has told you this, many times, but you will be devastated when he is gone. It will seem as though your life is over. But the interesting thing about the race of Man, Arwen, is that because our lives are so short, we appreciate everything more. And we are able to move on a little easier, because we do not know what lies beyond our lives. We always have faith, and hope that they are somewhere where they no longer have to deal with the pains of this world. Elves, I think, do not have that comfort. You know where you go when are ready to pass, and that brings you happiness, but you also are here for a very, very long time.

"Arwen, I am simply asking you to look into your heart. You have a great divide in you - even one who does not have the ability of foresight can see that." This brought a small smile to Arwen's face. "On one side is your father, your home, your kinsmen, everything you've ever known. On the other is a man that you cherish deeply, and love. But the question you must answer for yourself is whether you can give up everything to be with him. And when he passes, can you do the same? Or do you go with your father, your brothers, your mother," Arwen looked up at her when she said this, "and cherish the memory of what you had with Aragorn? The choice is yours, and yours alone, I am afraid."

Arwen nodded, slowly. "I am conflicted, to be sure. I want to be with Estel, but as I said, I have never been in the world of Man. I do not know their ways, I only know Estel. I also know that he is the exception, and not the rule." This brought a small smile to Rose's face; she was glad Arwen was able to be light-hearted, if even just a small amount.

"But I only hope that I do not regret whatever decision I make." Arwen said, gazing into Rose's eyes. It was that same deep, penetrating stare that her father had given Rose when she first awoke in Imaldris.

"Meril...What did you do?" Arwen asked, looking for all the world like a teenager asking her mother, or sister, or aunt, for advice. Rose sighed deeply. She did not really want to relive the memories. But she knew that Arwen needed help, and if Rose could give her clarity, she would work through the past once more. She looked out the window onto the first days of spring.

"Before I met my late husband, I was a traveller. I worked at several places to earn my keep, and talked to many people along the way. I was happy. When I met John, my whole world was turned upside down. I wanted to be with him, but I wanted to keep my independence; the world was my kin." She looked at Arwen as she said this, hoping she would understand the metaphor. Arwen nodded, encouraging her to go on.

"For two years, which seems to be a blink to everyone here, I worried about what decision I would make. While I was worrying, John and I were traveling together. My world, it seemed, was complete. We were in love, we wanted to be together, and I was able to still do what I loved. Eventually, however, John wanted to settle down, find a place to call home. So, because I loved him, and wanted to do what he wanted, we went back to the place where he had been raised.

"I... Though I loved him, Arwen, my life became incomplete once again. I realized that I was not meant to be one to settle down. John could not understand this. It was the source of many conflicts for us. I became with child, twice, when we were together... neither of my sons lived past the first few weeks." Rose shuddered as the tears welled up in her eyes. "John and I continued to fight. We had been happy at one point, but it was hard to figure out what we loved in each other in the first place. A year after losing my second son, John was killed. He was not the target, but the victim nonetheless. I mourned him, but my heart was not in it. I was ashamed, and so I escaped my cage." The tears fell onto her hands, folded in her lap. She closed her eyes against the burn, and gasped when she felt Arwen's hand fold around hers, the she-elf's arm wrap around her shoulders.

"_Ai, Meril, mellon nin, gwathel nin, beren pen..._." Arwen said, rubbing her hand up and down Rose's arm in comfort. There was a knock at the door.

"_Tulya_" Arwen bid them come in. Rose quickly wiped her eyes. Erestor opened the door, followed closely by Glorfindel, bearing a tray with hot wine. Seeing her face, he set the tray down on a stool by the fireplace and came immediately to her side.

"My child...my dear, dear child..."he said, grasping her hand in his. Arwen stared at her tutor in wonder. Though she knew he cared about those he was close to, he had never shown it unless in times of great need. She wondered what Meril could be, to have such a reaction in the normally stoic Elf. Glorfindel caught her eye and smiled. She returned it, and then sobered as she turned her attention back to the woman beside her. Erestor was soothing her, rubbing her hands with his, saying comforting words in Sindarin.

"Meril," Arwen said, gaining the young - for indeed she was still so young in the Elvish eyes - woman's attention. Rose looked at her, blue eyes stormy with her inner turmoil, until Arwen could see the discipline and self-control come back into place, leaving her beautiful eyes clear and kind, as they always were. Arwen sighed inwardly; Meril could have been an Elf with the emotional disconnection she had.

"You must not be afraid to share grief, gwathel nin. One thing that Elves know how to do is grieve, and show our love when we need it most. We are your kin. We are here to love you as if you were born of our race. Do not be afraid."

"She is right." Glorfindel entered the conversation for the first time, his hand on his lover's shoulder. "We are your kin, Meril. You have become like a daughter to us and Elrond, a sister to Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir. Family is not who you were born to, my dear. It is who is there when you need it the most." Rose stared at him in awe. Erestor squeezed her hands in comfort, drawing her attention to him. He smiled.

"I should like to share something with you." She nodded, still too afraid to use her voice. He reached over to the stool and grabbed a box that he had brought in on the tray with the wine, now forgotten. He handed the box to her, standing next to Glorfindel. She looked up at him, confused. He bade her open it, so she did. Inside was a gorgeous pendant, silver in color, of a flower... a rose. Perfectly detailed, and in the center was a pink stone. She gasped. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her life, and she told them as much. Glorfindel swelled a little bit with pride at the statement. Erestor drew her up from the couch and kissed her brow.

"It is for you, _selde uin guren_." Glorfindel drew her to him next and repeated Erestor's actions. Arwen came up to them then and took the pendant from the box. Thankful that she had already braided Meril's hair, she put the pendant around her neck, and then kissed her brow as the Elves beside her had done.

"_Gwathel-nin_, you are our Meril. We will be with you wherever you shall go. You are ours now. Do not ever forget." Rose, unable to contain herself any longer, burst into tears and hugged Arwen in a surge of emotion. Arwen smiled and hugged her just as fiercely. Erestor and Glorfindel smiled at each other, even as they heard a knock at the door. Without hearing any reply, Elladan and Elrohir came in, startled to see Rose in such a state with the other Elves around her. They looked at their elders, suddenly seeing and understanding what had taken place. WIthout any words they walked to their sisters and hugged them.

* * *

"Are you certain that you will be safe?" Erestor asked her as she mounted her horse. She smiled down at the elf who had become like a father to her in such a short time. His dark brows frowned in a worry that was reflected in his stormy blue eyes - much like hers, she noted.

"I am certain that I will not have time to run off. Glorfindel, Elladan, and Elrohir will be beside me the entire way. Have no fear, _Adar._" Erestor's eyes lit up at the endearment. He smiled, sad because he had duties to his lord, so much that he could not go with her, no matter how much he wanted to keep her safe. He nodded, and went back to Elrond's side as Arwen came to her next.

"I will miss you, _gwathel-nin_. Please, be safe. And tell Estel... that I wish him all the happiness in the world and beyond." Rose stared at her. So she had chosen. She noted that Arwen was sad, but a strength grew from her sadness, a strength that Rose knew was in her as well. Man and Elf were not so different, she mused. Rose smiled sadly at her sister and nodded. They held hands for a moment, squeezed tightly, and then let go.

Rose smiled at the twin sons of Elrond as they teased her father figure (because that was what he had become to her in the past 6 months) about Erestor. They had been together for a long time – lifetimes, in fact, and they still never tired of each other. She supposed that was what happened when you found true love. True, absolute, everlasting love... something that until her passage into Middle-Earth, she believed only existed in fairy tales. She was still not convinced such a thing existed for her. She only hoped her own experiences had not clouded her Lady Arwen's judgement. She could not bear it if she was the cause of Arwen's immortal unhappiness. She had only tried to give her unbiased advice, outlining the choice that Arwen had in front of her. When Arwen had asked her fo rmore, Rose gave from her deepest heart of hearts, letting things surface that she had long buried. After that night, however, Rose had felt a curious lightness in both heart and mind, one that she had not welcomed since before John.

"What has you forming such a contemplative look, my dear? Not that I mind, of course, it is very Elvish...it suits you." Glorfindel asked her, having escaped the twins' clutches for the moment. Rose looked at him, startled.

"I'm just..." looking at him, she made a quick decision. "Adar, how did you know Erestor was the one? Your True One?" Rose asked, feeling for all the world like an unsure teenager. Glorfindel smiled, a wistful smile that overtook his whole face as he stared ahead.

"After the Balrog died, I came upon... Why do you ask, my dear?"

"The night you and Adar gave me the pendant, Lady Arwen came to me seeking counsel for her dilemma regarding Estel." A frown took the place of the smile that had lit up his face but moments before. She plowed forward, "I tried to be unbiased in my advice, outlining her decision and telling her to do what she thought was right. She then pressed for my own experience in the matter. Though I felt overwhelmed, Adar, something bade me tell her my story. I told her about John. I'm still not sure I did right by telling her so. My experiences should not count for hers. Especially since Estel could be her truth, her light. It's not something I've held ever, so I am unsure that it was my right to give her counsel on such a thing." Rose finished in one breath, looking that the bright blue eyes of her father, pleading that he set things right. To her relief, he reached over and took her hand.

"Meril, love, you have done everything that you could have. Arwen must make her own choices, and whose counsel she chooses to take is entirely her own. You must not blame yourself for anything that may or may not happen between the Evenstar and Estel. They are their own people. It is ultimately their decision."

"...Do you think they are True?"

The Elf sighed. "I am not sure, my dear. When two Elves bond, and they can only do so if they are True, they feel it in their bones as something they must do, and urgently. Erestor and I were beginning our Bond within a week of seeing each other. It is just something that you intrinsically know. It takes about five years for the Bond to bcome whole, but when you live indefinitely, that is urgent to you. Because Arwen and Estel are two different races, they might not be able to Bond. My belief is that if they were able to, they should have felt it by now. If they have felt it, it would have happened. However, I am not knowledgeable in this matter, as love between Humans and Elves does not happen often. It is quite rare – and there are not enough cases to demonstrate a Bond."

Rose nodded, absorbing the new information and feeling slightly better about the situation.

"When we spoke that evening, Arwen said herself that she has known no Men besides Estel, and she understands that he is the exception, not the rule. She has also told me that she has had lovers in the past, but she never said if what she feels for Estel is the same as what her lovers made her feel. I fear that it is a certain curiosity that makes her feel as she does, rather than what she would like to believe it is."

Glorfindel nodded. "That makes the most sense in light of the entire situation. We are not immune to desire, dear, but we are able to recognize the difference before it goes too far. At the same time, though, not everyone finds their True One. Some find them much later, some earlier, some not at all. It is to the Valar to decide if we do in this life."

Rose smiled, though it was a touch sad. "Thank you."

Glorfindel returned the smile. "It is my pleasure, my dear. Now shall we find those two before they do something they might regret?"

Rose laughed. "I'm not sure they've ever regretted their actions." She said, and bade her horse lead, Glorfindel not far behind.

They had not ridden far when the Elves stayed their horses, looking at each other. Rose looked from one to the next, knowing that they had heard something, but was afraid to ask. Suddenly, a horse burst from the brush to their left. Their own horses were of Elvish stock, but Rose could feel hers jump a little. She however, was of no Elvish stock, and gasped loudly. Then her shock turned to agitation and glee as she realized who the rider was.

"Arwen!" She exclaimed, reaching over from her steed to hug the elleth. Arwen had a huge smile on her face as she realized Rose was genuinely glad to see her.

"I couldn't stay away. Ada will know by now, of course, but I will return to him later. I just... I need to see Estel." The older woman explained quickly, grasping Rose's elbows. Rose smiled in relief and understanding. She had had a feeling, indeed, a fear, that Arwen would not be able to gain full closure from her decision without first hashing it out with Aragorn. Though she was afraid of the outcome, Rose knew it for the best. Her brothers, however, were not quite so understanding.

"Arwen, you should not be here. Especially since Ada doesn't know! What if something happens to you? What are we going to do when he finds out?" Elladan half-shouted. Arwen looked wryly at the twins.

"So your concern is not for your baby sister, but for your own hides when Ada finds out you left specific instructions with Gildor to let me go three days after you?" The looks on the twins' faces was almost comical. They were torn between mortification, embarassment, and fear, with a twinge of relief. Rose almost felt sorry for them. Almost. Glorfindel, on the other hand, had no qualms about sharing his humour at the entire situation.

"I am sorry, boys, but she has a point. And do not forget, you helped train her yourselves. While she is primarily a healer, she is a warrior, just as you are. We could use her, especially in talks with Theoden." Glorfindel said, finally bottling his mirth.

"I, for one, am glad to see you, my Lady. I was worried for you, and I was also bereft of suitable company." The ellon scoffed at Rose's words, ignoring the pained look she sent their way. Arwen giggled.

"Well, now that we have a full party, shall we move on?" Glorfindel asked, moving towards the edge of the woods towards open land - towards Rohan. Rose's eyes widened as she looked out into the sunlight. In the distance, running along the edge of the woods, was a humoungous black mass. She grabbed Glorfindel's arm, but he had no need of the warning, for he had seen it before she. The twins stiffened.

"Orcs."

"Uruk-hai." Arwen corrected.

"What shall we do?"

"Why are they moving so quickly in that direction? That can't be a normal raid."

"Raid or not, I'm sure they have no good deed in mind. We need to follow them."

"And do what? They are at least seventy strong. We are but four Elves and a Woman."

"We need to find out what they are doing." Rose interrupted. "Isengard is not the way they are going. If they are going somewhere specific, any information is an advantage to us."

"The only problem with that, my dear," Glorfindel said gently, "is that they are down wind. They will smell us far before we glean anything useful."

Rose stared intensely into the distance, her mind's eye roving over the mental pictures of the maps she had studied so hard before leaving Elrond's care. She sighed.

"Rohan. We should make for Rohan, but I would like to keep within seeing distance. I want to know where they are going. I have a feeling... call it what you like, but my intuition is telling me they are nefarious in deed, and that we may be needed to help stand against them. I know it is not ideal," she said, looking at Elrohir before he could interrupt, "but if they are Uruk-hai, they are harder to make than regular Orcs, correct? They are fewer in number, and a better prize."

Arwen smiled at her. Rose saw this, and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You remind me of someone, that is all."

Rose shook her head and smiled. "Those are my thoughts, in any case, whether they matter to you all or not. I am under your command, as you are all vastly more experienced than I."

Glorfindel had been watching the mass of Uruk-hai as Rose had explained her thoughts to them, and now turned to the group, who seemed to be awaiting his orders as an army may have done many, many years ago. Ages, even. He smiled, a crooked smile that they all knew he must have worn before going to battle the Balrog lifetimes before.

"We will head for Rohan. But I think our black friends yonder may enjoy a visit from some long-lost companions, wouldn't you say?" The others shivered at his tone.

"Aye." They chorused, and they were off.

* * *

"NO! No no no no no-" Rose said, her words keeping time with her footfalls as she ran towards the warrior. She slid to a stop on her knees at his side, taking a good look at the arrow in his shoulder.

"You son of a bitch! You told me you wouldn't get hurt! You told me you'd come back! You're lucky I came out of Imaldris, because you'd be dead if I hadn't! God dammit, wake up, Boromir!" She yelled, going between checking the rest of his body for injuries and tapping his face to keep his eyes open. His eyes opened a little wider at the sound of his name, but no recognition came into his eyes at the sight of her. It made Rose reel with fear, and anger, and depression, all mixed into one. It was such an onslaught of emotion, she felt nausea creeping up on her before a voice turned her thoughts.

"Meril, what are you saying?" Rose looked up at Arwen in shock from where the elleth kneeled beside her, also checking the Man for injuries before turning her attention to his shoulder. Rose hadn't even realized she'd switched back to English when yelling at him. It was probably because she hadn't known right swearwords to use in Westron or the mediocre grasping she had of Sindarin, and in her panic had gone back to her native language. It had been months since she had used it, so it was suprising to her as well. She shook her head and came back to Middle-Earth.

"Nothing, nice, my Lady. Are you going to be able to fix this awful man?"

Arwen smiled reassuringly at her. "Yes, but I need to you find athelas. The poison in his would is fierce, and I should not pull the arrow out until I have the poultice ready. But be quick. We haven't much time." Rose nodded and ran, thankful of her time spent with Eärnil in the wards of healing at Imaldris. She had been confined there for a week, but had formed a fast friendship with the Elf healer, and had gone back for lessons in the healing arts. It was the least she could do to not feel useless, and it gave her something to do in her time away from Arwen. So, the Elf had taken her on, and had shown her the basic herbs the Elves used for healing, and had taught her a few things from burn cures to how to help deliver a baby. The Dunadain camp across the Bruinen had helped her not feel so separate from humans, though she preferred Imaldris. Finding the herb she needed, she grabbed as much as she hoped Arwen would need and ran back, crushing the plant in her hand to help speed the process along by the time she got back.

The Elleth had seen her coming, and had prepared everything else except for the herb Rose carried. She quickly added it to the poultice, leaving Rose to yell more obscenities at the now unconscious man. Arwen tapped her on her temple, making the human woman yelp.

"Now that I have your attention," Rose could feel her face burning with a little embarrassment then, "I need you to pull the arrow out. Do it quickly. And then grab those bandages." Rose forced down another bit of nausea - she had been doing things like this with Eärnil for the past 6 months, why was she being a baby now? She gritted her teeth, and gripped the arrow, pulling it firmly and cleanly from Boromir's shoulder. The poison bubbled to the top quickly, mixing with the man's blood, almost making Rose lose her resolve. Arwen quickly applied the poultice, and Rose covered the whole thing with the bindings, wrapping it tightly as Arwen lifted the Man's shoulder enough so that Rose could do so.

"Now all we can do is wait. We shall have to put fresh bindings on him every couple of hours - the herbs, and his will, shall have to do the rest."

"We'll have to set up camp here, then." Elrohir's voice sounded from behind them. Rose turned to smile gratefully at the Ellon. He smiled ruefully back at her.

"You did well, Meril." He was referring to her cutting off that Uruk-hai's head. She hadn't even thought about it; she was trying to distract the monster before he shot Boromir again. She said as much to the Elf, and he nodded.

"Those are the instincts that you need to survive here. It is not about killing for the sake of killing; if we did that none would be alive. It is about protecting the ones you love." He smiled again, reassuringly this time. She nodded, brow furrowed as she looked back at Boromir, who was breathing easier, though still pale.

_Protecting the ones you love... _

* * *

Rose woke suddenly, just before dawn. She had slept fitfully through the night, unsure of Boromir's condition, though the others had assured her that he was pulling through when she finally let herself sleep. She had set up her bedroll at a ninety-degree angle from the man, not wanting to be too far away when-she refused to think in "if" terms- he woke. She couldn't explain the connection she felt with the man. To the man, she corrected herself. She had no idea if he felt the same. It wasn't like anything she had felt with John. With John, Rose had felt... loved, to be sure, and she had felt love for him. But it seemed like that was it. Love for him, as one might love a friend, a best friend even. Even towards the end. Boromir... it was very strange, and she couldn't place it. She wasn't sure that she wanted to. They had only spent a few weeks together at Imaldris before he left with the Fellowship, and she stayed behind to help with preparations for the oncoming exile of the Elves.

Those few weeks, though...she had spend long periods with all of the members of the Fellowship, it seemed, and she wondered now how it had happened. She had been busy with Arwen, to be sure, but it seemed that the elleth was, for the most part, occupied with Aragorn and so did not need much help. So she had spend time with Eärnil, and the Hobbits, and Gandalf, and Elrond, and the twins, when they were there. Gimli the Dwarf had always had a joke for her, and she enjoyed testing her Westron on him, as he was not likely to look down on her. Legolas had usually kept to his own kind, which led her to think coldly of him at first, but after the first week of following her around, she had finally confronted him. Which had led to some interesting debates, especially when she used what she knew from home.

Boromir... that was another story altogether. She supposed since he was the only human contact she got those first few weeks, she was drawn to him like a moth to flame. They had shared stories and experiences, especially because they were relatively close in age. Boromir was a seemingly confirmed bachelor at thirty-seven, but that did not stop his father Denethor from throwing women of noble birth at him at every chance. Rose had laughed at one girl's attempt to charm him by reciting poetry in the Old Tongue. Little did she know that the poetry was of...an erotic nature. The poor girl had to be removed to Ithilien, so great was her, and her father's, embarrassment. They exchanged jokes, stories, laughter... it was like having John back. It was nice. It was scary. When he left she was, for lack of a better word, despondent. She had withdrawn a little from everyone, but when Eärnil noticed it (after three days) and questioned her on it, she had slapped herself awake and was back to where she needed to be. It did not stop her from thinking of him, though. Not romantically. But of his welfare.

She let her eyes drift back to the man in question and was shocked to see him staring at her. She smiled in the twilight, hoping that it was not fever that gripped him and was causing him to not know his actions. He smiled back, and she gripped his hand reassuringly.

"Glad to see you awake, sir. I was afraid that it would only take one arrow to finish you, and all of your grand stories would have been for naught." She whispered, moving to check the wound.

"We wouldn't want that, now would we?" He whispered back hoarsely, his eyes watching her the whole time she worked.

"Exactly. Who would I bother if you were gone?"

"Oh, I'm sure there are many just dying for your attentions."

"Are we really starting the bad jokes already?"

"Couldn't resist." He hissed as she gingerly touched the wound. She smirked at him.

"Well, at least you can feel it. That was what worried us- and by us I mean Arwen- the most. She said that others who had been inflicted with the poison were unable to feel the wound, and if that happened, they were most likely to late to save. So it's a good pain."

"What was it you once told me? 'No pain, no gain'? Such a strange retort."

"Yet fitting. I'm going to put more medicine on it, and re-bandage it. I suppose we should be thankful it was your shield arm. You probably would have thrown a fit if you weren't able to swing a sword for a while."

"I almost missed your wit."

"Someone had to. Everyone else here was getting sick of it." Glorfindel said, joining the hushed conversation. Rose scowled for a moment before smiling and shaking her head in exasperation. She would never be able to master the silent moving of the Elves. She moved away to re-kindle the fire that had died during the night, wishing all the while for a cup of tea. It was still cold, and while the Elven realms kept the worst of it out, the rest of the world was not quite so lucky. She shivered a little. Lucky Elves. She looked over to where Arwen slept, her eyes still closed, which worried Rose a little. Elves only did that when they needed extra rest. She knew they did that once or twice a week for energy, but Rose also knew that Arwen had used a little bit of Elven ability to help Boromir's healing process throughout the day and night. Arwen had also been stressed about finding Aragorn again, and so her brothers had gone off to find him. If he had not been far, they should have been back by now. And what of the others? The Hobbits, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf?

"Meril." She heard Elladan's voice behind her. She turned, anxious for news, and smiled in relief when she saw Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli with him. She glanced at Arwen again, and shook her head at the ellon.

"She's still resting. It took a lot out of her, I think. Where's Elrohir?"

"Scouting. And hunting. The band of Uruk-hai took off towards Fangorn Forest. We wanted to follow, but I knew that we were better in numbers. Unfortunately, they travel very far, very fast, and only rest in the wee morning, like this. So whatever we need to do, we need to decide quickly, and as immediate as possible."

"Right. Well, Boromir's healing. He should be able to ride with me, I think. I am, after all, the only one who can't defend myself. I would rather be able to get Boromir out than have him stay in the thick of things, should it come to it." There was an unspoken truth of the possibility of another skirmish with the Uruk-hai. The Elves nodded, and while Boromir, now sitting up, scowled, he said nothing.

"So we're going after them, then? I thought as much." Elrohir's voice was heard before he was seen to Rose, carrying three rabbits. He quickly skinned them as he continued, "We'd best hurry as much as we can with this, then. The Uruk-hai are resting now. They are a few leagues away, resting on open plain like they own it. They are a bit smaller in number now, though," he said, "but I can't imagine how that happened." His sarcastic tone was only matched by Elladan's smirk and Glorfindel's crooked smile. Rose shook her head at her motley band of Elves and turned to her lady. Her eyes were now open and alert, having heard what was going on, and she looked surprised to see Aragorn and the others. Rose discreetly put a finger to her lips, slowly shaking her head. Arwen nodded, knowing that this was not the time or place for that discussion, no matter how much it needed to happen.

Rose smiled and went back to the fire, joining Aragorn and Gimli, who looked relieved that Boromir was still with them. Boromir sighed, looking decidedly ashamed of himself. Aragorn had his hand on the other man's shoulder in reassurance, though Gimli looked as confused as Rose felt.

"I... I let myself be tainted, Aragorn. I-I tried to take the Ring. I thought I wanted to use it for Gondor. He fled from me. How could I? How could I have been so blind? So horrid? Now he's gone, and I'll never be able to earn his forgiveness. I could not even ask it of him. I have failed." Boromir said, sinking deeper into despair with every word. Surprisingly, it was Legolas who spoke up.

"You are not the only one who felt the draw of the Ring, Boromir." The Elf said, drawing all eyes to him. He simply stared, blue boring into green. "We all were. Every one of us has felt it's power. In the end, it is our choices, who make us who we are. You could have taken it. You even tried. You came so close to glory for Gondor. True, terrible, disastrous, great glory." His voice took on a harsh, hoarse tone. "You could have cleansed Gondor of everything that was ruining it. Your home. Your people. Everyone who looks to you as the beacon, the shining light in the ever-increasing darkness." Suddenly, Rose realized he wasn't just talking about Boromir anymore. "But you knew, deep in your deepest heart, that the Ring was not the right path. You knew that it would only do more harm than good. Not just because you were told. But because you were given a glimpse of what you would be like with the Ring, and you hated yourself for it. And that is what made you turn away at the last second, the very moment when it mattered most. That is what will make Frodo forgive you. That is the choice that makes you the man you are. You are more than just a tool, a carrier of your home and its glory. You are a man. You are a being, full of light and everything that makes this world right." Rose's hand covered her gaping mouth, suddenly filled with grief, and hope, as Legolas' words made tears roll down her cheeks. It had the same effect, it seemed, on Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli, who were not fully of Elvish stock. The Elves with them swelled with pride. They knew that everyone there had been tested. And they had passed. Arwen put her arm around Rose's waist, supporting her. Rose smiled through her tears at her lady.

"So what say you, Boromir? Shall we ride on to save our little ones? Our friends need us, now more than ever." Aragorn said, his hand lightly resting on Boromir's wounded shoulder. Boromir smiled a half-smile, and clapped his other hand on Aragorn's shoulder.

"I follow you, my lord, my captain... my king." Aragorn's smile matched his soldier's.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's eat this before the Elf burns it, and be on our way!" Gimli said.

"You always have your priorities straight, my friend." Legolas said drily. The others laughed, and quickly set about their business, new hope instilled in them.

"By the way, Meril, you never did specify just what you were yelling at Boromir." Arwen said to Rose as they cleaned up the rest of the camp. Rose laughed out loud at Arwen's curiosity.

"Oh, just some choice names out of worry, my Lady. I'm not sure they were meant for noble Elven ears. Besides, I don't know the proper translation into any of the languages of this place. I tend to swear when I'm nervous." It was Arwen's turn to laugh.

"Trust me, my dear, I know quite a few words, thanks to my brothers. I'm not immune to plain language. I am a little saddened that you don't know the translations. It would be so useful to speak in another language that no-one else knows."

"Then I will teach you what I know." Arwen looked sharply at her. Rose blundered on, not being able to rescind the offer if she wanted to. "As far as I know, I'm the only one who knows my home language. While I'm thankful for that at times, sometimes I miss being able to talk to someone with it. I'll teach you what I know, and we can use it as we like. I'll even teach you to write in it, so that our messages can not be deciphered." Arwen looked like the proverbial child in the candy store.

"Meril, that sounds wonderful! When do we start?"

"Right now, if you wish." Arwen nodded, so Rose began pointing to things and telling Arwen what they were called in English. The others looked curiously at them when they started laughing at some of the ridiculous words Rose was trying to teach Arwen as they saddled their horses once again. Rose was just glad to be able to teach someone something. It seemed that she was ever the student, and it felt nice to be the teacher.

Soon they had set off, each paired with their newfound companions. Boromir rode with Rose, who had express wishes, directions, and orders to ride towards Edoras if the need arose. Arwen rode alone, so that she might be able to accompany them in defense, and slightly for her own protection. Aragorn rode with Glorfindel, though he kept glancing at Arwen from time to time. Legolas had convinced the twins to ride together, as it seemed Gimli was not comfortable on horseback, and unfortunately did not know the twins well enough to trust them on a horse. With his life on the ground, it was fine. Just not a horse. They rode hard towards Fangorn, having spent an hour still at their camp, trying to leave it as they found it. When Glorfindel spotted the Uruk-hai camp, they were just moving away.

* * *

Boromir tightened his grip on her. She forced her breath to quiet, hearing the footsteps draw closer. Without a word, a signal, Boromir kissed her, hard, and ran out to face whatever was coming. Rose had no time to react, or even blink, as the thick wooden door was slammed shut, protecting her from whatever Boromir was facing. Separating her from the one thing she absolutely could not live without. Then, suddenly, she heard an ominous 'click' as the door locked. Something snapped inside her. She threw herself against the barrier, trying with all of her strength to open it. She couldn't even hear him. No shouts, no cries. She didn't even know if he still lived.

"You bastard! Let me out! You had better not be dying out there, Boromir, or so help me God..." She slumped against the door to her cage, tears welling in her eyes. Furiously wiping them away, she yelled again. "Boromir!"

Nothing. "BOROMIR!"

Over and over, til her voice was gone and her fingertips were scraped raw and her fists were bloodied and bruised. The sun was high in the sky, she could see out the window. She ran over there, grabbing a chair on her way. Putting it below the opening, she climbed up to see out. The soldiers were fighting everywhere. She could see Pippin below, just below her space. But she had no voice any longer; she couldn't shout for him to help her. She could only look on in horror as the Nazgul flew above the city, bringing boulders and breathing fire down upon the inhabitants. The women and children fled in despair. She should be out there. She could at least lead them into the Citadel, she mused. They needed to be safe.

She looked furiously around the room, and smiled when she saw the cloth covering on the chairs. She checked the window again, blessing her mother for her thin frame and her father for her large hands. She had just enough room to wiggle through and drop a cloth down. She (rather conveniently for her purposes, though there was no time to dwell on it now) found a hook not too far along the wall to secure the cloth to, and then she was on her way down to the fighting.

She ran to the Houses of Healing, startling the women when she banged on the door. Ioreth opened the door, her eyes widening when she saw her, and let her in, closing it behind her. Rose tried to explain her plan of getting the inhabitants of Minas Tirith to the Citadel, but her voice only came out as a squeak. Frustrated, she tried again, with many hand gestures. Ioreth looked confused.

"Okay, child, slow down. Now, I assume your voice is gone?" At Rose's emphatic nod, she continued. "And your hands look terrible. Put on some water to boil. Amaranth," she yelled to one of the assistants, who came over, "go to the supply closet and get the lemonbalm and honey. We need to get Rose's voice back up to par." The dark-haired girl ran off, and Ioreth grabbed some bandages and went to the fire, where the water was beginning to boil.

"This is going to hurt. But you know that. Hands over the bowl." She commanded, gesturing to the large shallow basin on the table by the fireplace. Rose did as she was told, smiling gratefully at Amaranth when she came back with the necessary items to make the tea. Amaranth clucked at the state of Rose's hands and quickly assembled the tea. Rose hissed as Ioreth poured small amounts of the incredibly hot water over her hands to clean them, and then wrapped them. Amaranth pushed the cup into Rose's hands, and after Rose drank some, she could speak a little.

"We need to get the women and children to the Citadel. There's no time to lose. That's the only place they'll be safe. All the men except the guards to the palace are fighting; we can use them to help us round up as many as we can." She explained hoarsely, finally able to use her voice. Ioreth nodded.

"Good thinking. Amaranth, go the guards on the fifth, tell them to spread the word. Rose and I will start rounding up the uppers." Amaranth nodded and ran, Ioreth and Rose on her heels.

"If we can get at least the majority of the uppers into the Citadel, we can get the lowers into the vacated levels and then seal off the fourth and lower." Ioreth explained hurriedly as they went down the stairs.

"I didn't even know we could do that." Ioreth nodded.

"It was a defense mechanism developed back when the city was first built; our plan? It was the defense plan. Course the city was not as populated then; I don't know how many we'll be able to save. All of them, if we can, of course, but we'll see how many will go." Rose nodded, and they set to work. The guards were easy to convince to start setting up the halls to take people; Ioreth asked for the Great Hall to be set up for any wounded that would be coming in later.

"Rose! Rose!" The woman turned as she heard the Hobbit yell her name. She smiled at Pippin as he ran to her, Gandalf not far behind. "What are you doing, Rose? Where is Boromir?"

"I assume he's fighting." She said, her voice going in and out. "We're trying to get the women and children to the Citadel and upper levels. Then they can seal the lower levels and not have to worry as much." Gandalf and Pippin nodded.

"Rohan has arrived. I sense the tide may turn, but we must not lose sight of what we are doing. If you see Boromir, tell him his father is trying to find him."

Rose nodded and knelt to Pippin's level. "I will. Pippin, would you like to help me? I need to go back and watch the Hall; try to keep people calm. Ioreth has levels up here; Amaranth went to the fifth. We need someone to go down to the lowers to make sure people know to come up here."

Pippin saluted, face pale but with a half-smile brightening him. "I'm on it. I can climb down there faster than a man or woman can walk there."

"You're my only hope, dear one. Be safe." Rose said, kissing him on the forehead, and he ran off. She stood once more, looking at Gandalf. He smiled sadly and grasped her shoulder.

"You're a courageous woman, Rose. I'm glad to call you friend. I must get back to the lower levels, but I think I can help your throat a little." He put his hand on the side of her neck, and she instantly felt a soothing, cooling sensation in her throat. She smiled gratefully.

"Thank you Gandalf. You're not so bad yourself." She winked at him. His smile widened, and he was off in the same direction that Pippin had taken. Rose turned and ran back to the Citadel, hoping to keep the people filled with hope, as that was the only way they could survive this thing.

It was several hours before Rose heard the triumphant cry outside. It wasn't an Orc cry, so she knew that her side had at least pulled through the skirmish. Her voice had left her again, but that was understandable. She, Ioreth, Amaranth, and a few other women had organized the people into sections and groups, encouraging everyone to stay outside or in other parts of the Citadel, hoping to keep the Hall open for any wounded they would receive.

"Rose ma'am?" She heard a small voice beside her. Taranis was a boy, only around eight or so, and his father was out amongst those fighting. His mother was taking care of his younger sister and was pregnant, so he was determined to be as useful as possible; a.k.a. "be the man of the house". So, Rose had used him as a messenger and watchman.

"What is it, young sir?" She queried the boy, noting his excitement. He grinned. "We've done it, we have! The monsters are pullin' back, ma'am! Thar was a huge green cloud, there was, and the Orcs jus' keeled over!" She smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Are they starting to fetch the wounded, then?" at the boy's emphatic nod, she turned to Ioreth. "Should we have them open the levels, then? What should we do with everyone up here?" They hadn't been able to save everyone, according to Pippin. They had had to cut off the flow when the levels filled up, and had hoped for the best. It had made Rose sick to her stomach to cut those people off, but they didn't have any other choice at the time.

Ioreth nodded. "Taranis, go tell them to open the gate for the wounded. Amaranth, start herding people back home, take a few others and go see if there's any wounded below. Rose, you and I will go filter the wounded when they come up here. All the able-bodied and minorly wounded will come here. Those who are severely wounded will go the Houses." All nodded and ran to do the healer's bidding. They prepped bandages and poultices, not knowing exactly what they would encounter. After they finished, Ioreth and Rose went to the bottom of the steps to meet the first of the wounded. In the twilight they inspected the soldiers and civilians, sending them to the appropriate places. Rose suddenly shot over to one in particular.

"Eowyn! Oh dear, dear girl... Ioreth! She needs immediate attention! She's been caught, the same as Faramir!" Ioreth rushed over. "Can you handle this?" She yelled over her shoulder as she directed the Rohirric soldiers to the Houses. Rose yelled the affirmative and turned back to her task, going through the seemingly unending line of wounded before finally ending with Amaranth and the women who had gone with her.

"Ioreth is in the Houses. Amaranth, you should go to assist her. Will the rest of you come with me? We'll be able to handle the Hall, I think." The women nodded, going their separate ways. They worked well into the night, dividing the Hall into sections that they could handle. At some point, Merry and Pippin turned up at Rose's side and wordlessly offered their services. She sent them fetching and carrying, working seamlessly as a team for as many hours as they could handle. Rose finally straightened up after her last patient, and saw the Hobbits swaying with sleep.

"Go on, there's a spare cot by the window. Go. You two need it far more than I do." She said, smiling as they did as she asked, like children. It was easy to forget they were older than she. She looked towards the door as a familiar figure walked in, and smiled.

"Just couldn't stay away, could you?" She whispered, her voice not being able to handle much more than that. Glorfindel smiled his crooked smile and pulled her to him.

"Are you alright, my dear? I'm sorry I was not able to keep contact during the battle." She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his shoulder, sighing and nodding.

"I'm fine. A little sore. A little tired. But able to stay away from most of the fighting. Where are the others?"

Glorfindel almost had to strain his ears to hear her muffled voice.

"Arwen's in the Houses, doing what she can with Ioreth. Elladan and Elrohir are wandering somewhere. Gandalf is in counsel with Boromir, Eomer, Legolas, and Gimli, trying to figure something out. Aragorn's also in the Houses, tending Eowyn. She seemed as though she were pulling through, my child, don't fret." He finished, reassuring Rose's widened eyes as she stared at him. She nodded and relaxed a little.

"Merry and Pippin are here. They're sleeping now. They looked as though they would fall over if I didn't send them soon. I'm just trying to hold the watch. The other women are looking after their own children and families now." She said, looking around the Hall again, making sure all were sleeping or at least relaxed. There were so many wounded... there was just enough space in between each man – or child in some cases – for one to walk through. They had had to set up bedrolls, as there were not enough cots for all of them. Her knees ached, her head ached, her hands were throbbing... she shook her head and turned back to Glorfindel, who was watching her carefully.

"You look exhausted, child."

"I'm fine, Ada." Glorfindel nodded, knowing better than to fight.

"Not yet. But you will be. How did your hands come to be in such a state?" He asked just as Elladan and Elrohir came in, looking around. As soon as they spotted Rose, they rushed over, grabbing her in a two-Elf hug. She blinked furiously as her eyes watered, hugging back just as fiercely. Glorfindel smiled at the three when they let each other go.

"I was with Boromir, talking as we usually do. We were in one of the older rooms of the palace; there was cloths over all of the furniture in the room we were in. We heard footsteps, and because we weren't sure if the Orcs had managed to send in anything yet, we were cautious. Boromir -" she paused, not wanting to say anything about the kiss. "...He jumped out to see what it was, and before I knew it, the door was shut and locked. I shouted, pounded the door, apparently scraped at it a little. I don't know how long I was in there, a couple hours maybe? I finally was able to drop out of the window with one of the cloths. I went to the Houses of Healing, and Ioreth, Amaranth, and some of the guards and Pippin rounded up as many of the civilians as we could into here." She explained, gesturing to the Hobbit behind her. Elladan nodded.

"We were on the lower walls. We saw the people going upwards. We didn't know why, though. But it did make it easier in the end. We weren't sure the walls were going to hold, so not having civilians there helped." he explained as Elrohir inspected her hands in his. Glorfindel frowned slightly at her explanation.

"Are you saying that Boromir locked you in that room?" Rose shrugged.

"I am not sure. I would like to think that he would know better, but it was definitely locked when I tried to get out. I am not sure how long I would have been in there if I hadn't gone out the window." Glorfindel nodded slowly.

"Indeed." It was then that Legolas poked his head in the doorway, and then came in fully when he saw his kin with Rose. He too, hugged her close. She smiled and hugged him tightly, squeezing once before letting go.

"Apparently I am just the person to hug right now." Legolas laughed at that.

"Apparently. I've actually come to fetch these three for Gandalf's council. Aragorn has finished in the Houses, so we're convening for the next move. Seeing you was, as you say, a bonus?" he said, his eyes twinkling kindly. She shook her head and scowled playfully before smiling once more.

"And what a bonus I am. You all had better go. I'll be fine here. It should be a quiet night. Hopefully no fevers or infections to worry about." They nodded before heading towards the door. Glorfindel kissed her on the forehead before leaving as well. Rose smiled after them, and turned back towards her brood. Hopefully it would be quiet tonight. She wasn't sure she could handle anything more than that right now.

It was just before dawn when Ioreth stumbled in, yawning. Rose waved her over to the fireplace, and offered her a cup of tea. The healer took it gratefully, swirling it around while looking her over.

"Haven't slept either?"

"No. Everything clear at the Houses?"

"For now. The Elf woman – Arwen – she's finishing her watch. Amaranth will take over in a few minutes. How was everything here?"

"Quiet for the most part. There's a couple I'm afraid will develop fevers; they're going to have to be isolated, but I lack the manpower right now. The other women had their own families to worry about, so I made them go there. Other than that, all the adults have slept through, which is good. The children... they all seemed to have nightmares at some point during the night. Nothing a little valerian tea didn't fix, but it's still worrisome." Ioreth nodded, yawning again.

"We'll see if we can't wrangle some form of isolation to keep those with sickness on watch. Those that we can patch up and send off, we should. I wish we had ten of Arwen; her healing was amazing." Rose chuckled a little at that.

"Her father's the one I would want. He's equal parts warrior and healer. He does amazing work. And another Elf in Imaldris – Rivendell – Eärnil. He's good as well."

"If only they weren't so far. Not to mention the word on the street."

"Oh?"

"Sauron's got forces up north – attacking the Elvish dwellings and northern towns and villages. No one is safe right now. It's a grim situation we've got." Rose's eyes closed in anguish. Poor Legolas. His home was so close to the Orcs in any case; she only hoped Thranduil would see that working together was better than not. She was also worried about Erestor. She hoped her Ada pulled through.

"Well, we can't do anything about that here. We just have to focus on our part. I hope the counsel has gone as planned."

"Indeed. Boromir will probably be going insane at this point. Faramir's still in the Houses, and Denethor fell in battle." Rose shook her head.

"That poor man. At least he fell honorably."

"He was going mad towards the end, Rose."

"I could feel nothing but pity for him. He was trying to deal with the situation as best he could, and I think he had some sort of influence that caused some of that madness. And then he heard rumour of Aragorn returning..." She mused, staring into the fire.

"That Ranger? What does he have to do with anything?" Rose looked at Ioreth.

"He's Isildur's heir, Ioreth. Aragorn is King of Gondor by right." Ioreth gasped.

"Oh my. And I was using him as an assistant. Oh dear. 'King's hands are healing hands' indeed." She let out a hollow laugh. Rose smiled reassuringly and put a hand on her arm.

"He'll be okay. He's used to people not recognizing him. It's all a matter of if he truly embraces his destiny. I think he will, but we shall see." They stared into the fire for a while, enjoying the calm, sharing the quiet. Ioreth spoke next.

"What are you going to do?" Rose looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?" Ioreth's eyes remained on the fire, the heat dancing and reflecting on her tired, lined face.

"About our Lord Boromir. I wish him happy, Rose. I've known him all his life. And I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you." Rose could feel the blush, but she moved her eyes back to the fire and rubbed her hands absentmindedly.

"I... I do not know." Ioreth nodded slowly, seeming to understand.

"Give it time. I think you shall both figure out what you want." Rose smiled a little. They stayed that way in companionable silence for a long time, before the Hobbits rose and decided that they wanted to find something to eat. Rose rolled her eyes playfully, and bade them bring Ioreth and she something as well.

* * *

She didn't know when it happened, or how it had happened, but somewhere along the way, of being in Middle-earth for almost two years, she had fallen in love with him. They had spent most of their time apart in the beginning, not seeing each other for five months, but the time they spent together was well spent indeed. But what was she going to do about it?

Nothing. For one, she had no idea if Boromir even felt the same (from what Ioreth had told her, he had never been an innocent, though he shied away from actual commitment), and for another, what could she do even if he did? She was not a noblewoman. Especially not one of Gondor. She could never marry him and expect to be accepted. No matter if Aragorn was King. Or if Arwen was Queen. So. She would do nothing. They would hopefully remain friends after this was all over. She refused to think about the kiss, no matter how much she wanted it to be real. And oh, did she want it.

She shook her head and looked around the Hall. It had been three days since the battle on Pellinor, and they had most of the soldiers in the clear. The people were still afraid, but they had been able to go home and start rebuilding. Those who had been lost were going through the funeral preparations. She smiled as she spotted Arwen coming through the door to the Hall. Her smile was returned as the elleth made her way to the fireplace. They looked at each other for a moment, and then hugged each other fiercely. It was strange, this bond they had, Rose mused. It had grown so quickly, as a wildfire does, but had not burned out yet. She only hoped it would end up forged in steel.

"I'm so glad you are safe, my sister." Arwen said. She had been with Aragorn, the Rangers and Elves when the battle commenced, and then had gone to the Houses to help where she could. Rose could not blame her for wanting to be near Aragorn. They had talked at some point, apparently, because Arwen was glowing with happiness.

"I'm glad you made it back to me. Tell me, what has happened? Any sign of Frodo or Sam?" Rose questioned, holding her at arms length. Arwen's smile faded slightly, and she turned to the fire.

"No, I am afraid not. The men have decided that they are fighting. One last stand, to the death at the Black Gate. They are all going. Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel, Legolas... Estel... all the men." Rose closed her eyes, steeling her sleep-deprived self before opening them to look at the elleth once more. "They are leaving Faramir here as Steward in Boromir's place. Even Meriadoc and Peregrin have latched themselves onto the others, refusing to stay." Rose felt the color drain from her face at that. Her Hobbits were leaving her. Arwen looked at her then, and her eyes widened in alarm. She quickly steadied Rose.

"Stay with me, Meril. We need you here." Rose drew a deep breath, and nodded. Arwen's touch gave her strength.

"When are they leaving?"

"At first light tomorrow. Or, as near to first light as they can muster. It is hard to tell, these days."

"I see." So her family would be marching to their deaths then. Arwen's family would be marching to their deaths. It was a hard burden to bear, being the ones left behind. "Any news of Lord Elrond? How do they fare in the North?"

Arwen's face grew grim. "Not well. The one good thing that has come out of it is that Thranduil is now getting on with my father and grandmother. How well they are getting on is hard to say. But they are all working together, even with the Dwarves. But they are all pushed back to the very brink. Everyone is fighting. I only hope that Frodo can finish the task soon. I will not lose another kinsman to this." Her voice was laced with a slow anger, one that Rose had never heard from her. She was glad that she was not on the receiving end of it.

"Is it very dark outside? I have not been out of this Hall in three days. I did not want to leave those who were here, and now I have four with fever. I wonder if is not something more severe." Rose said, changing the subject as much as she could.

The elleth's face was sad. "It is indeed, sister. It makes my heart sad to see the darkness. I visited this country once, in my youth. I do not remember much of it, but I know that there was much joy and prosperity before Sauron's forces came alive once more."

"Then we must hope that we see such joy and prosperity once more. Aragorn will not fail, dearest. He must not." Arwen nodded. Rose then smiled, "Have you spoke with him?"

This brought a smile to the elleth's face, though it seemed a little sad. "We have spoken. I have professed my deepest feelings to him. I told him that I loved him with my heart, but I was not sure about leaving my people. I wanted my children to be Elvish, Meril. Is that selfish? I wanted my people to know that there was hope, that though our time was coming to an end, there was no reason to not continue our lines. There was still time for us. I also told him that I was not sure about becoming a Queen of Men, when I was not a Woman myself. But I love him, Meril, and I wonder if I can't overcome all of that with time. And I am... afraid." she finished quietly, with a confused look, as the feeling was strange to her.

"Arwen... you are afraid of dying, aren't you." It was not a question. The elleth looked into her eyes, the deep, penetrating stare that all the Half-elven children of Elrond shared. After a few moments of searching, she nodded, slowly. Rose mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then you are more Woman than you think." Seeing that she had gained Arwen's attention, she continued. "Everyone who is born into the race of Man is afraid of dying. Those who are not are foolish at first, and then accepting later. It takes some longer than others to reach that acceptance." She rubbed her still-bandaged hands on Arwen's upper arms in comfort. "It is a blessing and a curse to be here such a short time. But there are two sides to every coin, even with the Elves. Your people are here for as long as they wish to be, but as someone very wise once told me, 'when you live long enough to see history repeat itself, your bones grow weary.' It is but a small comfort that we work as hard as we can while we live so that we might rest when we die. And saying goodbye to your family is not forever, you remember. You shall see them at the end."

"Meril, you are the wisest person I have ever met. You are constantly a comfort to me. You deserve nothing but eternal happiness." Arwen said, clutching the woman to her and burying her head in her shoulder. Rose smiled fondly and held her close, soothing her. They both started a little when they felt two pairs of arms around them, followed closely by a third, and then a fourth. They looked up to see the twins, Glorfindel, and Legolas all joining in their comfort. They smiled and basked in the warmth the four ellon gave. They stayed like that for a few minutes before reluctantly letting go.

"Promise me you won't die." Rose said to Glorfindel. Legolas chuckled and lay a hand on her shoulder.

"He's already done that once, mellon-nin. I am fairly certain he does not want to go through that again." Glorfindel shuddered almost comically. Rose smiled and then grew serious once again.

"You must all promise us that you'll come back. Breathing, preferably."

"We will, we will." Elladan said flippantly.

"No, please, _gwedeir_," Arwen said, grabbing her brother's hand between her own. "I already worry that Ada is lost to us. Please, promise me. I must see you after." She grabbed Elrohir's hand as well. The twins looked at her in shock. Rose would guess that she had never been like that, if their reactions were anything to go on. The twins softened, and hugged her to them.

"Do not worry, _pithya muinthel_," Elladan murmured, holding her close.

"We will come back to you. And then we will find Ada. All of us." Elrohir finished. Arwen looked at her brothers, aghast.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes, little sister. You have truly shown what you can do. We are sorry that we've kept you away from where your heart lies for so long." Arwen simply shook her head and hugged her brothers close. Legolas put his arm around Rose's shoulders, Glorfindel sneaked an arm around her waist as they watched the scene between one of the greatest families in all of Middle-earth.

* * *

"Rose?"

She stiffened as she heard his voice. She turned from where she was staring out the window. He looked terrible, and wonderful, and beautiful all at once. He was in full armor, the white tree proudly displayed and his sword sharp. The black cloak only added to his proud stance, though his eyes were clouded. Not with illness. She couldn't quite place the look. She stood, slowly, as she hadn't had but three hours of sleep in the past three days. She was quite close to blacking out, but she had to keep going. She was not going to be seen as weak.

"Rose." His voice was now soft, relieved, worried. She wasn't sure why, but he simply crossed the room and gathered her into his arms. She let him. It wasn't like she could fight him, even if she wanted to. She allowed herself to enjoy this, while she could, until she could take it no longer, and pulled away. He looked at her, confused.

"Boromir..." She cursed herself for trembling. Everything was shaky. Her hands, her legs, her voice...she hated herself, but she had to get this out, while there was still time. She was tired of fighting. She just wanted answers.

"I need to know something, Boromir." his eyes closed, then. He looked pained. Perhaps she had misread him. Maybe he didn't want to pursue this. But she had to know.

"I need to know your feelings. I...I have felt too much, and I have seen too much...I must know." He looked at her then, eyes unguarded, and as she looked into the green depths of his soul, she understood. His eyes bore into hers, deep green into stormy blue, before they closed and he kissed her, slowly, asking permission. It wasn't the fiery, desperate kiss that he had left her with last time. She granted it, responded to it, loved it. He broke away reluctantly.

"Rose, I love you. I will pretend no longer. You are my heart and soul, and I would do anything to grant you happiness. You saved me, Rose. When I thought all was lost, you found me and brought me back. You were my first friend in Rivendell, and you were my light when we were in Edoras. My king has called me to battle, but I want you to know this. My true heart and feelings. You fill every piece of my soul, and would you but grant me a small part of your life, I would be content." He stroked her hair, looking into her eyes as they searched his, looking for truth in his statements. He allowed it, welcomed it, and she smiled as tears came to her eyes. They fell as she nodded.

* * *

"Boromir, when we first arrived in Rivendell, I was afraid. I had just come to the realization that I wasn't going to my homeland again, and I was lost. You helped me see the beauty of this world, and that I could have a place in it. When I saw you fall in the forest," she shuddered, remembering her despair, "I was devastated, and determined that you should not die. I have never been more thankful to be stubborn." He laughed outright at that, bringing her closer and holding her tight. She looked into his face once more. "I thought I had loved before, and that I was not meant for it. But you have brought so much life to me, I can only hope to be a comfort to you. I love you Boromir, and until my dying breath I shall mean it with all of my heart." He drew a sharp breath, shuddering with the sudden feeling that filled him. He kissed her then, full of the fire and passion that they both possessed, with the sweetness of new love.

It had been six months since she had woken up in the Welsh countryside. It was torturous to her, it seemed, to place her in her own world, but in a place that reminded her so much of the world she left behind. She had no way of knowing if what she experienced had been real. She had no idea if the line of Arwen and Aragorn lived on. She had no idea if her ada – either of them – still walked the world. It was highly unlikely.

She wandered the plains, looking up every once in a while towards her destination. The mountains gave her a strange comfort. They reminded her of Gimli. The stout heart and unchanging loyalty were only two of the traits that the dwarf shared with his chosen home.

–

On one side of the axe blade was Tengwar. She gasped softly, tracing the familiar runes, reading the script that she knew was meant for her.

"For our rose in the winter, whose faithful jewel left her much too soon." She sobbed the last words out, shutting her eyes as their faces loomed before her. Boromir. Legolas. Gimli. Aragorn. Arwen. Glorfindel. Erestor. Elladan. Elrohir. Frodo. Sam. Merry. Pippin. Gandalf. Elrond. So many had sacrificed so much for her. And she couldn't even thank them, let alone see them again.

She didn't know how long she sat there, on her knees, her eyes staring into nothing. She jolted upright when she felt something brush her shoulder. She whirled to her feet and spun in one fluid movement, her hand going to her dagger at her belt. She almost fell to her knees again when she saw who it was.

"It has been a long time, mellon-nin."

She grasped at words, the first ones spilling from her mouth were foolish ones. "You're supposed to be in Valinor."

"I could not stay away. There are too many here I must protect."

"But you're the only one here."

"No, I am not. And you are alone no longer." She reached out, tentatively, to touch his arm. Seeing that that was solid, she moved to brush his hair behind his ear. His pointed ear. Still solid. The tears rushed to her eyes again as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I don't know what happened. I was there, and Boromir was gone, and I went to the river to see him off, and I slipped, and then I was just falling... and then I woke up here." He rubbed his hand over her hair, soothing her as she babbled.

"The Valar work in mysterious ways, mellon-nin. Come. I do not wish to be here if he is not." Gimli's death had been the hardest on him. They were closer than blood, closer in ways that no one had ever really understood.

"Is your father still here?"

"You'll see." He smiled mysteriously. She cursed his Elven ways as he led her back to the outside. She gasped as more people than she ever thought she'd see were in front of her. She turned back to him and pinched him. He yelped in surprise more than anything, and she nodded.

"Just wanted to make sure I wasn't dead or dreaming." He scowled playfully.

"So injuring me was the best way to do it?" She smiled and nodded.

"You're going to make me cry again, so I needed to get my digs in." She then turned her attention to the small crowd of beautiful people, reminding her of her first days in Middle-earth. The tears, true to form, fell in buckets as she hugged the ones most important to her.

* * *

Author's Notes: Well... to be honest, I was originally going to make this into a full story, but it didn't exactly turn out that way. I was playing with Middle-Earth, and the classic "stick an OC into Middle-Earth and see how it shakes out" situation, and it really just turned into an evaluation of how my writing has improved. Which is where you lovely people come in. I usually only do one-shots, usually things less than 5,000 words, so this was a major step for me. I would love to know how I did in your eyes. So, please, let me know - I know that this type of thing is hard to review, because it's not a full story, but I could use some honest feedback. Thanks so much for reading!

xoxo


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